Garment-pressing device



J. F5 THOMAS.

GARMENT PRESSING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1919.

Patented Sept. 7 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mgh

jwuewtoz wi/imm J. F. THOMAS.

GARMENT PRES S|NG DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1919.

1,352, 158, Patentedsept. 7,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- JET/20272625 1. F. THOMAS GARMENT PRESSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 2. 1919.

PatentedSept. 7,1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- Liza-21E Mom @1 o 3444mm toz ire s'r s PAT T orrics. o

JAMES F. THOMAS, O-IECLARIQNDA, IOWA.

GARMENT-PBESSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

' Application filed January 2, 1819. Serial No. 269,241."

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known thathdmrns F. TrIoMAs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ciarinda, in the county of Eage and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Garment-Pressing Devices; and I do declare the following 'tobe a full,-clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. V

My invention relates to that class of de vices intended to be clamped upon the creases of trousers, coat sleeves, etc, to press the same, and the principal object is to provide a fol'dable and adjustable electrically heated device of this class which will thoroughly creasethe garment by strong spring pressure while such garment is clamped therein.

in carrying out the above object, a further object is to provide a device which may fold compactly when not in use, thus permitting the device to be conveniently carried for placed in a small space when not required;

A still further object is to provide a device of the class described which may be folded I while a pair of trousers are in the pressing clamps without injury to the garment.

Yet another object is, to provide auxiliary clamps at the ends of the main clamps, adapted to hold the cults of the trousers before said main I clamps are closed on the creases, thus permitting the garment. to be drawn taut to remove all wrinkles.

Another object is to provide an adjustable bar and link arrangement whereby the trousers a held'sostretched as to prevent l lthng and to remove any wrinkles which may 1 exist when the device is applied'to the ment, and to render the device ad ustable for different sizes of garments; w

A still further object is to construct theclamps with strong pressure so that the' garments may be thoroughly creased, and, to

provide a simple and efficient means of pressing them at any time and in a very simple manner. v V I An additional object is to construct the clamps in a simple and inexpensive,yet in a highly efficient manner, said clamps being so made as to cause them to remain-openwhen applying the device to the garment.

Yet another object is to provide linings of pressing twill or the like for the pressing clamps, so that moistening of these linings will assist increasing the garment, said l1nings also. insuring antislipping engagement oi the clamps with the garment.

A still further object is to provide a press I which, by simply removing its lower section, is adaptable for pressing coat sleeves, provisionbeing made for heating the upper section of the press when pressing sleeves and for heating both sections when pressing trousersk a With the foregoing objects in view, the in vention resides in the novel features of con-" .Fig. dis an elevation of the side of the device*opposite that shown in' Fig. 1.

' Fig- 5- is a horizontal section on th l n Fig. 6 is a'detail end elevationshowing the manner in which the clamps. remain open until closed by hand p Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view showing more particularly one of the auxiliary clamps.

Fig. 8 is trio heaters and a portion of the other which 'coacts' therewith, the several parts being separated from each other.

Fig.9 is a longitudinal section of the parts a side elevation of one of the sled Patented Sept. 7, 19 20.

seen in Fig; 8, in the same relative positions. i

F ig.' 10 is a view similar to F ig; 9, but

showing .theseveral parts operatively associated.

Fig. llis'fa transverse section on the plane of line 11%11 of Fig. 9, showing the open position o'fthe switch. I n

Fig; 1s a' detail longitudinal section through part of-the connecting means of the 1 two sections of the heater, showing the switch closed. 1

15 is a view similarto Fig. 14, showing only the upper sections of the heaters as used when 'pressingcoat sleeves.

Fig. 1 3 is a transverse section on the plane" 7 indicated by line"13-'-l3 of Fig.7'12, showing the closedposition of the switch. Fig; 142 is a diagram ofthe'heaters as used for pressing trousers. V

i inil In the drawings above briefly described, the numerals 1 have reference to a palr of elongated clamps to receive therein the front and rear creases of a pair oftrousers, each of said clamps being formed of leaves '2 Which are shown constructed of sheet metai.

so that the connection between the two sections U-L of the clamps may be easily released to permit folding of said clamps one I secured to the inner faces of the several upon the other for carrying in a suit case or the like, either with or without the garment clamped therein lVhen the device is to be folded with the trousers clamped therein, the sections U and L are first separated to permit the trousers to act as the hinge without in any manner stretching the material.

Forforcing the two clamps 1' away from each other after they are applied to the creases, and for adjusting the distance between said clamps according to the size of the garment, upperand lower pairs of toggle links 5 and 5" are provided, the outer ends of said linksbeing pivoted at 6 to the rear leaves of said clampslf The inner ends of the links-bare, pivoted at 6 to the lower ends of upper and lower bars? and 7 located between and substantially parallel with the clamps, and the inner ends of the links 5 are pivotally I connected by clamping bolts 8 which extend throughlongitudinal slots 8 insaid bars 7 and/7C. By thisbarand link arrangemenu the device may be held in eX- tended position upon all sizes of garments or may be folded compactly as shown in Fig. 2.

At the. lower ends of the clampsl, auxiliary clamps 1 are provided, said auxiliary clamps being formed by transplitting one f of each clamp 1 and being adapted to grip the cuffs of the trousers before said clamps 1 are closed upon. the frontandrear creases the trouser legs. By this means. the legsmay be so stretchedas tomove all WlllllflOS' therefrom before the clamps 1 are.

7 closed Although any preferred means could well be employed for connecting the leaves 2 of each clamp 1, theouter edges of said leaves are preferably stamped so as to form respectively a longitudinal, relatively large groove 9'and a longitudinal, comparatively small rib 10 in said groove'to constitute a hinge upon which the two. leaves may rock, C-shaped springs 11 being clipped around said outer edges'of the leaves as shown most The springs 11 not only members 23carr1ed by said block, a heating clearly in'Fig. 5. serve to retain the grooves and ribs in operative relation, act to hold the clamps tightly closedto effectively crease the trousers by strong spring pressure. The front leaves of the clamps are by preference provided on their inner edges with finger pieces 12 whereby they may be easily opened. V Fig. 6 discloses more clearly than the other views, the grooved and ribbed portions 9 and 10 respectively of the leaves 2, these portions being so contsructed as to cause the tension of the springs 1.1 to hold the clamps opened until closed by hand. It is the engagement of the hooked edge 10 of the ribbed portion 10 with the groove edge 9, caused by the tension of the springs 11, that causes the clamps to remain open. Y

In most cases, strips of pressing twill, felt or the like 13 will be cemented or otherwise leaves 2, in orderthat they may effectively grip the garment. Also, dampening of these strips assists materially in creasing the trousers, thenecessary heat being'furnished by the electric heaters described below.

.Within the hollow rib 10 of each clamp 1, an electric heater is provided, eachof said heaters consisting of an upper section U and a lower section L carriedrespectively by the sections U and L of the clamp. The sections of the heaters are constructed and connected in a novel manner, so as to permit the entire pressing device to be heated for pressing trousers, or to heat only the upper sections of the clamps when they are to be used for pressing coat sleeves, the lower sectlons having been removed by loosening of the bolts 4. Since the structure of both heaters is the same, only one will be described in detail, and to this end-reference may be made to Figs. 8 to 13. The upper heater-section U includes tubular casing 20, perferably of insulation, a block of insulation 21 secured in the upper end of said casing, a second insulating block-22 anchored in the lower end of said casing, a pair of socket members 23 carried by said block 21, a pair of connecting, pins 241-. mounted in and projecting outwardly from said block 22, a heating coil 25 in the casing 20 connectingoneof said socket members with one of said pins,

and a wire 26 connecting the other socket member and pin. v I

Pins 27 carried by a coupling member 28 are adapted for reception in the socket members 23 and feed wires 29 lead to said pinsv and branch from the well known form of cable 30, which, as seen. in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, may be providedwith a plug 31 for reception in a lamp socket or other electric current supply means. i a

The lower heater section L consists of a casing 20, an insulating block 21 in the upper end of said casing, a pair of socket quired amount of heat'to effectively press the trousers while they are held by the strong spring pressure of the clamps. \Vhen only the upper sections U of the clamps are to be used, as when pressing coat sleeves, the

bolts 4 are loosened and the lower sections L removed, the pins 24 then moving from the socket members 23. Some means are now necessary to bridge the gap between the aforesaid pins 241:, in order that the current i may travel through the coil 25am back by way of wire 26. This could be accomplished in numerous ways but I have preferably provided the switch described below.

An insulation block 32 is secured in the lower end of casin 20 and abuts the outer end of block 22, said block 32 having in its inner end a socket 33 and being provided with a bore 34 extending from said socket to the outer end of the block. I stem 35 is rotatable in the bore 34: and carries a cylindrical head 36 located in the socket 33, said head having a bridge plate 37 secured on its periphery as seen for'instance in Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12. The bridge plate 37 .is adapted, when the current is to pass only through the upper heatingcoil, to be turned to the position of Figs. 12, 13 and 15 so that it contacts with both pins 24 and bridges the gap between them as above mentioned.

\Vhen the current is to pass through both coils 25 and 25, the switch is turned by means of the stem 35, to the position depicted in Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 14, so that the plate 37 clears one pin 24 and does not therefore conduct current from one pin to the other. The stem 35 may project sufliciently to be turned by the thumb and fore finger and is preferably provided with a kerf 38 which may receive a knife point or the like if it should be desirable to use suehan instrument for turning the switch.

In use, the two clamps are-separated the required amount by distending the links 5 and 5, said clamps being then applied to the front and rear creases of the trousers, taking care that the clamps 1 be first applied so that the garment may be stretched before the clamps 1 are closed. After applying the-clamps in this manner, the bar and link arrangement 7-7'-5-5, is set to hold the two clamps spaced apart sufficiently to prevent wrinkling of the garment.- A hook 14 may be provided if dey sired for supporting the device when extended with a palr of trousers thereln.

Whenever requlred, the upper and lower sections of the device may be disconnected and foldedcompactly for carrying in a suit case or the like, or if required said sections may be folded one upon the other-while the trousers are clamped therein, it being first necessary however, to separate said sections sufficiently to permit the garment to act as a hinge.

From the although the invention is of simple and in.- expensive nature, it will be useful and convenient tooperate. Since probably the best results are obtained from the several details shown and, described, these details are preferably used, but within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may well be made. 1 V

I claim: I

1. Aga'rmentpress comprising a crease I clama consistinp' of two leaves hin ed to o if gether at one edge and means for holding said leaves closed, and electric heating means for said leaves extending along the hingedly connected edges thereof.

. 2. A garment press comprising a pair of sheet metal leavesstamped atone edge to form a hollow head on one and a groove for the other, said groove receiving said bead to hingedly connect the two leaves, an electric heater' in and extending throughout the length of said hollow bead, and means for tightly holding said leaves closed upon the garment. I

3 A garment press clamp 'formed'of two sections abutting end to end and means for detachably connect ing said sections, electric heating coils carried one by each section of said clamp, wiring connected to one of said coils for supplying'the current, coil connecting means for completing the circuit of the coils when the two clamp sections are connected and for breaking saidoircuit when said sections are disconnected, and means for completing the circuit of said one coil-when the other is disconnected therefrom.

4. A garment press comprising'a crease .elamp formed of two sections abutting end to end and means for detachably connecting said sections, electric heating coils carriedv one by each section'of said clamp, wiring connected to one of said coils for supplying tions are connected, and means for bridgingbetween the terminals of said one coil when the other is disconnected therefrom.

5. A garment press comprising a crease foregoing, it will be seen that comprising a crease I clamp formed of two sections abutting end said sections, electric heating coils carried to end and means for detachably connecting connected to one of said coils for' supplying the current, a pair of terminals for each coil positioned at the inner ends of said clamp sections, the terminals of'one coil coacting with those of the other to com-' plete the circuit of said coils when said sections are connected an insulator from which the terminals of said one coil project, said insulator having a recess between sald said terminals of the one coilwhen the othercoil is disconnected therefrom.

6.. A trousers pressing device comprising i a pair pf clamps for the creases, upper and lower pairs of toggle links pivoted at their outer ends to said clamps, a longitudinal bar between said clamps having a longitudiother pairof links-to said bar, said bolt passing through saidslot.

7. A trousers pressing device consisting of a pair of metal strips, one strip having a longitudinal groove stamped in'one edge and the other "strip. having its corresponding edge stamped to form a longitudinal ib received in said groove, and C shaped clamps clipped around s'aid'edges of the strips for exerting strong pressure to thoroughly crease the garment, the ribbededge of'the one leaf having a longitudinal hook flange to engage the inner edge of thegroove ofthe other leaf, whereby .to hold the leaves open until closed manually.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set- JAMES F. i-Io As 

